RIP iPhone 3GS

You’ve had a good run. The iPhone 3GS is no longer sold by Apple and it is a showing of Apple’s ability to move on. I believe it should have left a while ago. I feel that Apple should not be giving away free iPhones as it hurts their business. I feel that Apple can sell the previous generation for less, but giving them away for free may put iPhones into more users pockets but it doesn’t put money into their pockets, which is partly why Apple did not have a good Q3, I think. When the iPhone 4S came out, it should have been discontinued then giving them out for free. The iPhone 4 could be sold at a reduced price while 4S is the premium phone but they shouldn’t have given away the 3GS away. Despite these circumstances, one must come to realization that the 3GS was a great phone and served a great deal of people’s needs. It was greater than it’s predecessor in that it was faster and just better than the 3G. I felt it was getting close to the end of the iPhone 3GS and I was right.

Unfortunately, Apple is still offering a phone for free and this will hurt them more than the free iPhone 3GS’s. The iPhone 4 is a much greater phone than the iPhone 3GS and is similar to the 4S which in turn is more similar to the 5 than the 3GS. I feel that a lot of people will go for the 4 than the 4S and the 4S costs money while the 4 does not. It isn’t a huge mistake, since the decision will give Apple more market share and more customers to the App Store, but it also means they will sell less iPhones. Short term, it is not a good thing, however long term, it is a great strategy. Apple will get that money back from the apps people buy and the future iPhones they may buy. Whether or not it was a great idea remains to be seen but I am sure Apple’s got it covered. I am more saddened to see the 3GS go than Ping but it had a long run and it was time for it to go. RIP iPhone 3GS. You will be missed.